Former DJS employee accused of abusing minor granted bail

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Mary Grace Keller, The Frederick News-Post, Md.
·2 min read
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Mar. 25—A Hagerstown woman was granted bail Thursday after being charged with sexually abusing a teenage resident of the Department of Juvenile Services facility where she was an employee.

Jessica Margaret Irving, 33, of Hagerstown, has been charged with three counts each of sexual abuse of a minor and sex offense of a juvenile detainee, according to the Frederick County State's Attorney's Office.

In Frederick County Circuit Court, Judge Richard Sandy granted Irving a $5,000 secured bond, to be paid at 10 percent, for her release. Online court records show bail was posted Thursday. She will undergo pretrial supervision and cannot have any contact with the victim or minor children.

The defense attorney, who attended the bail review hearing virtually, requested Irving's release, noting she lives and works in the area and will soon give birth. The defense attorney's name was not listed in online court records.

Irving was recently indicted for allegedly abusing the teen between January through March of 2020 while he was a resident of the Victor Cullen Center in Sabillasville, the criminal indictment reads. He was 17 at the time of his release March 23, 2020. The center is a hardware secure treatment facility for male youths. Maryland State Police learned of the alleged sexual abuse April 16, 2020, from DJS, the state's attorney's office said.

Irving allegedly sexually abused the teen six or seven times while he was in the facility and would frequently kiss him while he was in a treatment program, according to the state's attorney's office.

Assistant State's Attorney Lindsey Carpenter asked that Irving be held without bail due to the nature of the charges, noting Irving was in a position of authority when the alleged abuse occurred. Additionally, Carpenter said Irving had contact with the same teen after he was released. Irving reportedly contacted him on social media, picked him up from his home on two occasions and drove together to another location, where they had sexual contact, the state's attorney's office said in its statement.

Irving faces charges specifically for the alleged abuse that occurred while she was a staff member and the teen was at the facility. She does not face charges for the sexual contact they reportedly had outside the facility, according to the state's attorney's office. The age of consent in Maryland is 16, but state law prohibits a juvenile services employee from having sexual contact with a confined child.

Follow Mary Grace Keller on Twitter: @MaryGraceKeller

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